The Aardwolf.
A relative of the hyena that eats almost exclusively termites. Cute little things:
They're smaller than most hyenas (probably 'cause they eat much less) and they're coloured a lot like the striped hyena. Makes sense. Most animals would be like "oh, we'd eat that thing, but it looks like a hyena baby. We don't fuck with them!"
The aardwolf is unique in that it has 5 toes on it's paws-look at your dog's toes, or your cat's toes. They only have 4, and a little dinky dewclaw.
I unfortunately don't have any photographic proof of these 5-toed hyenas (hell, it's hard enough to get pictures of them!) but you'll have to trust me on that one. Why 5 toes? I have no idea-it may be due to primitive ancestry, or to help tear down termite mounds.
Another interesting fact about the little buggers is that they are missing their cheek teeth-no need for them when all you eat it is squishy bugs. :3 You can see the missing teeth here.
The teeth are also worn down very quickly-as noted in that skull above, the teeth are very flat/dull. From the front, the teeth are almost peg-like.
They also raise and poof up their manes and tails when upset-a common behaviour.
EDIT: that picture above was of the cubs, you guys XD This is what they look like when they're older:
though they're still damn adorable. :3
They're smaller than most hyenas (probably 'cause they eat much less) and they're coloured a lot like the striped hyena. Makes sense. Most animals would be like "oh, we'd eat that thing, but it looks like a hyena baby. We don't fuck with them!"
The aardwolf is unique in that it has 5 toes on it's paws-look at your dog's toes, or your cat's toes. They only have 4, and a little dinky dewclaw.
I unfortunately don't have any photographic proof of these 5-toed hyenas (hell, it's hard enough to get pictures of them!) but you'll have to trust me on that one. Why 5 toes? I have no idea-it may be due to primitive ancestry, or to help tear down termite mounds.
Another interesting fact about the little buggers is that they are missing their cheek teeth-no need for them when all you eat it is squishy bugs. :3 You can see the missing teeth here.
The teeth are also worn down very quickly-as noted in that skull above, the teeth are very flat/dull. From the front, the teeth are almost peg-like.
They also raise and poof up their manes and tails when upset-a common behaviour.
EDIT: that picture above was of the cubs, you guys XD This is what they look like when they're older:
though they're still damn adorable. :3